Getting back to Shepard
by Forever-Femshep
Summary: When Shepard sacrificed herself to save the galaxy, Garrus hadn't been able to handle it. He wouldn't live without her. He'd find a way...
1. Chapter 1

All of her limbs ached. Her eyes were crusted shut and she had to wipe them. The smell of antiseptic was strong, and the faint beep of a monitor was sounding in the background. _Where am I_. She pulled away the bed sheets and tried to get up but all her muscles went limp. A female voice echoed from the hallway and Shepard could only deduce some of what she was saying. "She's unstable, we haven't even completed the process. How can you expect me to..." A gruff masculine voice cut her off. "I don't care how you do it, just get it done quick." Footsteps faded as they walked away. _The process? What were they talking about_. A woman in a white apron walked into the room. She had wispy grey hair and wrinkled skin. Shepard could hear the clicking from her typing on a computer. She moaned, every joint in her body was only pain. The woman turned around. "Ah Shepard, you're awake." She had pulled a needle from a tray and filled it with some liquid. _No way is she getting near me with that_. Shepard squinted he eyes into a cold glare and the doctor flinched. "Don't worry, it won't hurt." As the glinting metal of the needle came closer, Shepard held the doctors arm away. She was frail and easy to push. She tripped and fell back against the shelf knocking all sorts of jugs and bottles filled with various coloured liquids. Shepard mustered all the strength she had and pulled herself out of the bed. The sound of crashing bottles had alerted nearby doctors, who had ran in to see what had happened. They had quite a shock to see Shepard on her feet, and the old doctor on the floor. Three sharp needles appeared in their hands, as if by magic, but Shepard evaded them and knocked them flat. Military training bested medical. She ran down the hall, her feet slapping against the hard surface. She was only wearing hospital bottoms and a vest. Head turned as she flew past and quite a few angry doctors were chasing her. They weren't as fast as her though and she sped past. This place wasn't familiar to her, she didn't have a clue where to go and and there were two turnings up ahead. _Right, turn right. It's your lucky direction_. She wove around people, dodging them as they just stood their in shock. Was there any way out of this hellhole?

Suddenly she was knocked over from behind, two large hands secured her arms. Shepard breathed in deeply before letting her feet kick back into the mans gut. "Shit!" She used the opportunity and sprinted away, leaving him out of breath on the floor. All the sounds of talking, beeping and shouting were muffled as Shepard buzzed past, the adrenaline thumping in her ears. Her eyes were blurry, the doctor had said she hadn't finished the process... _Process_. She was focused in though that she didn't see a huge tray of medical items a few metres away. There was a loud thump and lots of smashes and she collided with the tray. Her knuckles and elbows were bleeding and she wiped them off. A few people from behind had started staring. Their icy stares... Shepard placed her hands on the floor and pushed herself off the ground.

Everyone chasing her seemed to have disappeared, maybe lost her? So why run? It will only draw more attention. Attention was her enemy now. Too many cold glares, judging stares. _They'd stop staring if I showed them a piece of me_! She thought. Walking down the hallway, she saw an exit? Possibly an exit. She quickened her pace, eager to leave this... This place. She was about to walk out the door when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Oof." Her fist had blown into his chest. She lifted another, ready to knock him to the floor, but somehow he intercepted her. _How... How is that possible_? No-one has been able to do that. She couldn't tell who it was, her sight wasn't working well enough, but she could tell he was tall, towering over the majority. He pinned her against the wall. Se could feel his warm breath on her. "Miss Commander Shepard, am I right?" That voice...ever so cheeky but serious at the same time. Could it be? "G-Garrus? Is it really you!?" Her whole body tingled, the best face to recognise first. "Oh, I missed you and your 'heroic' ways." He whispered, half playfully, half truthful. His three fingers stroked her hair, smoothing it down. "You don't know how glad I am to have you back." He murmured into her head. His rough skin rubbed against her cheek, but it wasn't horrible. "Garrus, you don't know how glad_ I_ am to be back."

Their arms entwined and they both just stood quietly, staring into each others eyes. Garrus' eyes were the colour of ash, but twinkled in the light, his jagged skin was dark, with a pale scar running down the side. On Omega, when he was hit by a rocket. It was good to be back.


	2. Chapter 2

Shepard and Garrus held their embrace for a while but reluctantly parted as two armed guards and the doctor from Shepard's room. "There a problem here officers?" Garrus asked politely. Charming as ever. Some people never change, but change isn't always for the good. Garrus still had his arm around her waist as the doctor explained. "The thing is, you realise that the Commander outranks you all? So I think this problem might just be a, mistake would you say?" Garrus have them a steely glare which sent them on their way. He faced Shepard and smirked. "I think that problems sorted." She took his hand and started to walk. "Why yes, I think it is." It had been far too long since she had heard the casual humour from Garrus' voice, and the way he defended her. Too long since she had been in his warm embrace. The longing to grip him once more, had been so immense, so...passionate. This what love must feel like. "Garrus?" He looked at her with his soft eyes. "Yeah?" This place was unknown to Shepard, different. It didn't feel comfortable, only harsh and judgemental. "Where are we?" She asked with question in her eyes. He chuckled. That Garrus chuckle, tickled her heart. "Well, you'll find out soon enough."

"Don't peek! That'll spoil the surprise!" Garrus held his hand over Shepard's eyes. They were comforting. "Ugh, alright. I hate surprises!" Her senses tingled with recognition, as if the 'surprise' was giving off an aura. "Can I look now?" Garrus smiled, and took away his hand, waiting intently for her reaction. "Garrus..." She was speechless, no words could express how she felt at that very moment. Her jaw had dropped open and her mouth formed an 'O'. Garrus pushed her mouth shut gently. "You don't have to say anything baby. It's the least we could do after you saved out asses from the reapers." Shepard looked from in front of her to Garrus and grinned like an idiot. She squealed with delight as she flung her arms around his neck, burying her face into him. A muffled sound came from her mouth but Garrus couldn't understand. He felt his hand stroke her back and she felt joy shed never felt before. Standing before et was the best gift she could possibly ask for. A sleek, shining, silver ship. The word 'Normandy' printed in royal blue . The doors slid open, and on the other side stood the cheeky flight pilot, Joker. "Oh hey Commander, decided to join us again?" Shepard gave him a sarcastic smile. She'd missed the Normandy. It was like family to her, and so were the crew. Joker was like a little brother, always cheeky. A gasp escaped her mouth and she was slowly drawn towards the ship, like a magnet. "The old ship was damaged, we repaired it, but it wasn't the same you know? Like...it was different." It was like heaven for Shepard. The Normandy, it was so good to see her again. "Shepard, I detect high concentration of excitement, could the Normandy perhaps be the cause?" Shepard laughed with her, and they finally strolled in, like Shepard had been waiting for.

The new Normandy was everything Shepard hoped for, from its streamlined body, to its purring engine. Her heart jumped a beat. It was beautiful, it was just a ship, but she couldn't help the bond she felt with it. "I can't thank you all enough! You don't know how grateful I am." Joker wryly grinned. "I'm sure we'll find something you can do to pay us off..." Shepard looked at him icily. "I'm not even gonna go there." He laughed loudly, even Garrus cracked a smile. "Well, not such a bad idea?" He whispered in her ear. She put a finger to his mouth. "Don't tell Joker. Just don't." He made a zip motion across his mouth. "Not a word."

They toured the Normandy, the Crew Deck, CIC, Engineering, Shuttle Bay, and finally the Captain's cabin. The layout was similar but there were improvements. The bed was still just as hard though. "Wow. It's like it never changed." She gazed around. "My fish!" A tank filled with various tropical, and alien fish, ran the length of her room. "We thought we should add it in, you seemed to grow close to them." Garrus chuckled. "As long as they don't take my place." She smirked. "Never..."


	3. Chapter 3

They both sat next to each other on the bed. "It all feels to good to be true. Is it Garrus?" He tucked a loose strand of copper hair behind her ear and smirked. "Afraid not, but maybe I am." Shepard giggled and playfully slapped his chest, making him fall backwards. She twisted and put her head on his chest. "Yes, maybe you are. You always have been." His warm hand hugged her, while he leaned on the other. "So have you." She giggled again. Her sweet laughter was infectious and Garrus started to chuckle himself without realising. Shepard looked at him with her deep green eyes. There was a hint of mischief, as always. "I need a shower, don't run off!" She hopped off the bed and pottered into her bathroom. He'd missed her. That was one thing that was certain. Her personality seemed...different. She was more bubbly, more happy and relaxed. Before she was always quite focused, probably because of the war. But now it was over, she could enjoy herself like she deserved. She always had deserved it.

A while later, the bathroom door opened and she came out. Her skin shining with the residue of water. Glimmering droplets falling off the end of her hair. "Shepard, your glowing." He beamed. He wasn't lying either. She looked as of she was a star.

Her eyes were locked onto Garrus as she sashayed seductively towards him. Her eyes containing that same spark of mischief. As she sat on his lap, she pressed her lips to his. She wrapped her hands around his neck and he leaned back onto the bed, rolling over so he was on top. She stopped to breath and he stroked her cheek. Tender and fragile, compared to his rough plates. "You know that I love you, don't you Garrus." She smiled. "Of course, and you know I love you." She felt his tickling mandibles as his lips followed her neckline. She shut her eyes and whispered in his ear. "Why do you spoil me so much?" He was about to answer but she flipped and he ended back under her. "Don't answer, I like it."

Later on, when Shepard and Garrus emerged on the bridge, Joker swung around in his chair and winked at Shepard. "Having fun... Catching up." He laughed. "I told you Joker, we are not going there." She lightly punched his shoulder. "Hey! Whoa, don't do that. Fragile bones an all? Jeesh Commander, try'na kill me off already. Only enough love for one, eh?" She rolled her eyes. "I suppose I should go and see the rest of the crew." Garrus followed her into the elevator. "Joker never changes, even after I die." Garrus chuckled, but soon turned quiet. "He didn't want to leave earth you know. He refused, but we told him... I told him, we had to go. I feel so selfish for leaving you, I could have stopped this happening. Everything would be fine... but it's not. And it's all my fault." Garrus looked at his feet while the lift descended. Shepard forehead creased. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "No Garrus, you did the right thing, you had to get out of there otherwise you'd all be as good as dead. I don't want you to blame yourself, I couldn't have let you stay. The thought of you not getting out of it..." He looked at her with pain in his eyes and she hugged him, trying to forget about it all.

The doors opened an the familiar hum of the engine vibrated throughout Engineering. They turned to the left, and walked through. Ken and Gabby were working away on the other side of the room, they looked so determined. "Ken! Gabby!" Shepard called across the room. They both turned round in shock. Kenneth's jaw dropped and Gabby looked at him, grinning. "Shepard! You're...you're alive! Well this is great news!" She smiled warmly back, and talked with them for a while. It was nice to just relax and converse, with old friends.

After an hour or so, Shepard had got round most of the ship. Only the shuttle bay left. James and Cortez.

On arrival, no-one was in the bay. Shepard scratched her chin, perplexed. She walked around, checking every corner just in case, but there was no-one to be seen. "Garrus, have you seen..." He'd disappeared to. She scowled to herself. "This isn't funny Garrus. Get back out here..." Silence. She was tempted to just throw her hands up and say, "Fuck it." As she was about to go back upstairs. She was caught off guard, by something big. "Oof!" A gasp escaped her mouth as she and her opposer tumbled onto the hard floor. She couldn't see his face properly but he had muscles like a wrestler...and a suspiciously familiar dogtag. Recognition sparked in her brain and she gathered her strength, grabbing his arm, and twisting him over. She sat on his chest and pulled his arm into an uncomfortable position. "Okay okay, chill Lola!" Her eyes squinted. "James...you know better than to fight a woman, or at least me." He grimaced as she pulled on his arm harder. "It wasn't my fault. It was Garrus, he wanted us to surprise you. I think his loca plan failed. I was proving I had the cojones to tackle you. Ow." She leaned in, her lips almost touching his. He also saw the spark of mischief that Garrus did. "Looks like you've learnt a valuable lesson." She whispered. He just sat, staring into her eyes, momentarily looking further down, but back up when Shepard pulled his arm again. "Lola, you gonna get of me... orrrrr?" She stood up and brushed her hands on her trousers. Garrus came into view from behind a pillar, he was snickering after seeing James get beaten by a woman. "Some cajones you got there James." Still laughing. He got off the floor and rubbed his arm. "Have you ever tangled with Lola?" Garrus finally stopped laughing and grinned. "You could say that." James' eyes widened. "Aww man, no! You did not just say that!" He looked slightly scarred from hearing that, which made Garrus crack up even more. Shepard and Garrus walked out, hand in hand, while James shouted after them. "It's gonna take a lot of meds to get this outta my head! You owe me!" They could still hear his shouts from inside the elevator, quite a lot in Spanish now, probably cursing them. Life was good.


End file.
